The Pillars of Light
by Manda-chan
Summary: The truth isn't always what we expect or what we can easily accept, but a story's birth is a new beginning. Accept your role? Defy it? A choice must be made, for the phoenix has risen, but darkness looms on the horizon. - Princess Tutu/Mother3 Crossover
1. Prologue: Changes and Visions

AN: This is a crossover fic and pretty much my first attempt at one. I doubt that there are too many people out there who even know about/have played Mother 3 (though I bet some of you know Lucas from Smash Bros. Brawl - he's an important character from Mother 3 and also in this fic), but after seeing how similar the two series were in a lot of ways and having some interesting ideas that spawned from it, I couldn't resist trying to write a story connecting the two. The timeline for this is after the end of both PT and Mother 3, about two and a half to three years later. As for the plot and how they all come together, you'll have to wait and see. :D

Summary: The truth isn't always what we expect or what we can easily accept, but a story's birth is a new beginning. Accept your role? Defy it? A choice must be made, for the phoenix has risen, but darkness looms on the horizon. - Princess Tutu/Mother 3 Crossover

Disclaimer: I do not own anything from Princess Tutu or Mother 3. All rights to their wonderful creators. I am merely borrowing them to weave a story.

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><p><strong>The Pillars of Light<strong>

[ Prologue: Changes and Visions ]

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><p>It was early in the morning and dawn had not quite settled in yet, but Fakir was wide awake and dressing quickly, his features more chiseled and serious than they had been in quite some time since the story was put to its end. Once his shoes were on his feet, he stood from his bed, eyes straying to an old box that laid at the bottom of his bookshelf in the corner.<p>

There, his green eyes locked on the object and narrowed. That box was a container of materials that he swore he would never touch again. He had no need to use that duck-feathered quill or that special ink. It was put to rest.

And now, he could feel that things were changing once more. The lid of that box might have to be opened...

Fakir's thoughts enveloped him as he considered what happened since Drosselmeyer's tale was finished.

It didn't seem like that much of importance really occurred in the two and a half years since. The changes were subtle at first.

And change was to be expected after what this town had been through, of course. The story that had once controlled Kinkan Town had finally ceased and the machine was broken. People were no longer forced to believe what their lives were and had been as dictated by the will of another - a will of words. Now, they were able to forge the roads themselves. With the gates opened, the world beyond the secluded little town awaited.

...Or so it seemed.

Perhaps the people of Kinkan had become so used to their roles that they no longer strove for anything more, even when the doors had plainly opened before them. The theories of why could go on and on.

Until recently, Fakir hadn't even considered it, himself. He was content with the simple and quiet life now, staying by Ahiru's side just as he promised. He didn't feel the desire to explore further - he treasured what he had. There was no need for swords and no need for written words anymore, either. He put his powers to use the first year after the end of the story, just enough to give the people of Kinkan their freedoms to create their own stories. Then, he spent the next few months or so afterward repressing his powers with the help of the Bookmen, so he could finally write in peace without having to worry about his words coming to life or changing something that shouldn't be changed.

However, something... wasn't right. No one new from the outside world ever seemed to come to Kinkan Town, even now that the magic had faded and the boundaries were gone. Fakir never even spotted a single stranger out in the woods or by the lake. The wildlife didn't seem to expand, either. Everything seemed... too _limited_.

At first, he ignored the strange feelings that tugged on the edge of his mind with the knowledge of those oddities. It had to be because of his story-spinning abilities, he thought. He couldn't get rid of it completely, but he definitely hadn't mastered suffocating the power out, either. It was an annoyance, that was all. That uneasy tingle was nothing more than residue of magic that was merely clinging to him and giving him goddamn headaches.

And it wasn't until _she_ was visibly affected that Fakir felt the stirrings of worry take root.

In truth, ever since the story's end, and when the fall of the magic that secluded Kinkan was lifted, the little duck never seemed as at ease with everything as the once-knight and writer had become. Fakir figured that she was having trouble reverting back to her life as a duck, which was more than understandable. He had even toyed once or twice with the idea of asking her if she wanted to be human again, but...

No, normalcy and reality was important. One thing he had never grown to like or accept was unneeded change. Things were as they should be now - as they were _meant_ to be. He had no right to toy with reality and fantasy like Drosselmeyer had once done. He despised what his ancestor had weaved through abuse of his power and he would never play with people's lives like that old lunatic.

Ahiru was a duck. She had to _stay_ as a duck. That was just the way that things had to be.

Fakir's bud of worry blossomed quickly, though. Despite having accepted to turn back into what she truly was and remain that way, Ahiru did not embrace life as a duck. He remembered she had been somewhat of a social girl, when she was in the story. Even so, she did not go to frolic with the other few waterfowl on the lake and she spent most of her time with him, listening to his stories with wide and clear blue eyes and eating the bread he brought while enjoying his otherwise quiet company.

It worried him, yes, but Fakir was also selfish. Though he wasn't about to turn her back into a girl, he was more than glad that she didn't fly off and leave him or seek other companionship. And he made sure that he came to the lake every day, without fail, and even brought her back to his cabin home many times when the weather turned aggressive.

The duck was clearly discontent, though. No matter how much time he spent with her and what little he could do to try to communicate with her, Ahiru seemed unnaturally troubled and more and more despondent as the months went by. He had even taken her into town to have her condition checked upon, but no conclusions were drawn. She seemed to be in fine health, aside from a lack of energy and tiredness.

Fakir fed her more bread, encouraged her to swim on the lake and get exercise, and even tried to coax her into taking flight, but even under his strict and constant care, she didn't appear to be improving. Finally, he had even taken her from the lake and into his cabin just a few weeks ago, to keep a better eye on her behavior as he tended to her.

And that was when something became startlingly apparent: Not only did the bird seem to be having fitful and short bouts of sleep at the most, but she would wake very suddenly and become instantly alert, looking frantically around her in a manner that suggested she didn't know where she was. She even started to wander off aimlessly in the middle of the night at times, straining Fakir's already tight nerves when she went missing and he had to track her down. She never went far from the cabin or the lake on her short webbed feet, but it was making the uneasiness in Fakir start to balloon into fear.

_This wasn't normal_.

The ex-knight probably could have tried to write it off as merely dreams and perhaps Ahiru wanting to just get out more and explore the world at last. Ducks could dream and have nightmares and things, couldn't they? And she could suddenly want to embrace her duck life and the outdoors more now that he had shut her up in his cabin. He didn't see any reason why either wasn't possible.

However, Fakir didn't believe in coincidences and he had always been suspicious of change. This had been going on for too long and Ahiru's disappearances were becoming more frequent - nearly on a daily basis in the last week, she wound up missing when he woke. And whenever he found her, she seemed to be almost delirious - as though she was confused as to where she was going, how she even got to where she was, or what she was doing there. His headaches were steadily growing worse, too. And if that wasn't strange enough already, he had his own unsettling dream just the prior night. There were only brief flashes of things that he could even make out, but they filled him with a sense of deep foreboding.

Two islands...

An enormous dark dragon flying overhead...

Ancient trees that could speak to his mind, always repeating the same phrases to his conscious: "The time is near", "Nowhere is the beginning", "Reborn from the ashes, given new life by words", "Disruption of balance", "Traitor", "The end of all things"...

Fakir knew that the dream was not something he could ignore. One of the voices had been that of the _Oak Tree _- he recognized it.

And somehow, the writer knew that Ahiru must have been having similar visions. He had to speak with her about them. She could still understand him as a bird, even if they couldn't talk directly. Maybe if this was all connected...

He didn't want to face the possibility, but he had to. Another story could be looming overhead now - or perhaps something even more sinister than that. Whatever it was, he had a responsibility to protect Kinkan Town. He took the role of the writer when Drosselmeyer's story ended. Running away was not an option for Fakir anymore. He was done with being a coward and fearing Fate.

Fate remained as something that could be changed - he was living proof of that. And those visions...

What he needed now, was more information and to know whether or not these visions had truth to them. Unleashing his powers anew again and writing carelessly would not bring about anything pleasant, he was sure. He needed guidance and to know what the hell was going on before he tried anything.

And he knew just where to go for it. Barely a few moments after he awoke, he knew who he had to speak with.

Turning away from where his eyes had been glued to the box during his lapse into this thoughts, he exhaled heavily through his nose. First things first, he had to go and find that idiot again. He wasn't surprised to see her basket empty this morning - this happened far too often in the last few days for him to fret about it as much as he used to. But she was connected to this, too. If he was going to visit the Oak Tree for answers, then he needed to bring her with. Perhaps the tree could understand her, as well, or give him _some_ clue as to what was going on or about to happen.

Inwardly hoping that the moron hadn't gone too far or gotten herself into trouble, he swiftly headed for the door. She must have left by squeezing out through the window again. He thought he had closed it last night, but just a glance was all it took to note that it was definitely lifted open part-way (sometimes, it amazed him how human-like she still behaved). However, just short of pulling the handle of the door to head out, he paused, eyes blinking and brows furrowing.

Just now, he had felt an inexplicable warmth inside of him - small, unmistakable, and yet gone as quick as it had come. He might have even imagined it.

Fakir shook his head, the frown on his lips deepening. He sure as hell didn't have _time_ to wonder about anything silly like that - and there was no telling how much time he _did_ have, for that matter. _The time is near_, as one of the voices had said in the dream. If there was any truth to that, then...

Releasing a gruff noise under his breath, he pushed the heavy wooden door open without another thought and headed straight in the direction of the lake, eyes pealed for any glimpse of familiar feathers.

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><p>AN: That's it for the prologue. I hope you enjoyed it. I haven't delved much into the Mother 3 part of it yet, but that's coming.<p>

If you have any feedback, I would really love to hear it. Even if you know nothing of either one series or the other, I'd love to know what you think of this so far. This will likely be a big chapter story and I'm really inspired to keep writing it. Also, expect a slow-building Fakir/Ahiru relationship to take root in this (like you didn't see THAT one coming).

Anyway, thank you for reading! Have a great day.


	2. Chapter One: Endless Blue

AN: That's right, I'm back with the next chapter already! I'm really inspired to write this and try my hand at an epic story, so I hope you'll be following along with me! This chapter is still PT-verse for now, but I think you'll find a few surprises in it. :D

Summary: The truth isn't always what we expect or what we can easily accept, but a story's birth is a new beginning. Accept your role? Defy it? A choice must be made, for the phoenix has risen, but darkness looms on the horizon. - Princess Tutu/Mother 3 Crossover

Disclaimer: I do not own anything from Princess Tutu or Mother 3. All rights to their wonderful creators. I am merely borrowing them to weave a story.

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><p><strong>The Pillars of Light<strong>

Chapter One: Endless Blue

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><p>Fakir cursed himself for not having started his search sooner. Letting his guard down always seemed to be a mistake. And now that he couldn't seem to find even a sign of Ahiru around the lake anywhere, he was starting to feel a familiar panic-like sensation form in his chest.<p>

What if it was too late? What if he had wasted too many days not keeping a better eye on this strange habit of hers? What if she was... gone?

No, dammit! He wouldn't let himself think like that. She was here somewhere. Maybe she had just wandered a little further than usual. She was fine. She _was_.

Growing frustrated with himself and the doubtful turn his thoughts were taking, Fakir turned and ran back to his cabin, heading straight for the small shed-like building alongside it. Throwing the door open none-too-gently, he received a high and startled whinny from his horse. All he could spare her was a small pat as he moved to untie her reigns, though. There was just no time to waste when Ahiru was out there somewhere, alone and quite possibly in trouble.

Pulling open the stall gate, he gave his horse one more quick rub along the side of the face in apology for his brashness before he snatched the saddle down from the wall and buckled her down for riding. Then, when he decided the saddle was sturdy enough, he lifted himself right up onto her back, taking the reigns into his hands. Having a horse would increase his range a great deal - he could move faster and see further. This was just what he needed to find that idiot in a hurry.

With one swift thump of his shoe into the horse's side, the animal took off right out of the shed, knocking the door to the small enclosure aside and galloping through the tall grass around the cabin and out toward the edge of the lake. Fakir kept tight grip on the reigns, mostly from nerves and the heightening tension.

After that dream or vision or whatever it was that he had, there was an immeasurably bad feeling spreading from the pit of his stomach. The end of all things? A traitor? He didn't have a damn clue about what any of that was supposed to mean!

And why, after everything she had already been to, was Ahiru being dragged into it? Hadn't the duck suffered enough already for the sake of others? Couldn't she have a quiet and _safe_ life now?

_Have you ever taken into account what she really wanted?_ His mind seemed to taunt him from a far corner of his conscience. _Or have you just decided that you wanted things to be that way?_

Lips tightening just as his fingers did upon the reigns, he shoved those irritating thoughts away. Of course he wanted her to be safe and she would understand that. And now, he needed to find her to make sure that she _was_ all right. Nothing else mattered until she was found, not even that damn dream or speaking with the Oak Tree.

Growling under his breath, he gave the horse another jerk to the thick hide of its side with the heel of his foot, urging her to go faster - which she did. Yet there was still no sign of the yellow duckling anywhere that he could see. Not on the lakeside, not in shrubs near the thick of trees to the west...

Where was she?

"Ahiru!" he called out loudly, his tone carrying every ounce of the worry he felt. "Ahiru, if you can hear me, answer me! ...Dammit!"

How far could she even have gone? Whether a duck or a girl, she was beyond clumsy. There was no way that those little feet of hers could have taken her too far, even if she had left hours prior, right? And he had to immediately banish the thoughts that she could have been kidnapped or worse. Thinking like that wouldn't help anything.

And no matter how much he roared her name across the fields and through the trees, there was no quacking of a reply or anything that might give him a clue to where she was. His heart was beating faster and faster, thumping with the fall of the horse's hooves on the un-level ground.

Would she have gone into town? Ahiru never wandered in that direction before during one of these disappearances, but that didn't mean she couldn't have changed direction for some reason. Perhaps he ought to at least check. He wasn't making much ground here, anyway.

Decided on the matter, he pulled back on the reigns to slow his horse, bringing her to halt before he tugged off to the right, turning her back the way they had come. Then, he lifted his foot, gave her a quick kick to get moving and-

"Quack!"

It was soft, but as if reacting to that sound instinctively, Fakir yanked roughly back on the reigns in his hands, forcing the horse to stop just as soon as she started to run and pulling a very displeased whinny from her as she reared back, making him slide to the back of the saddle. "Whoa, _whoa_-! Dammit - _easy_, dammit!"

"Quack!" The familiar noise was coming closer. "Qua-quack quack!"

Managing to get enough control of her not to fall right off of her back, Fakir wasted no more time in turning her straight back around again, his eyes wide and searching the ground in the near distance. "Ahiru? Ahiru, you moron! Where-"

He cut off when he saw the clumsy bird ambling forward through the grass that was taller than she was, flailing her wings wildly and quacking almost non-stop. Something obviously had her in a flutter-panic, but Fakir couldn't spot any sort of injury. Had she possibly seen something relating to...?

Hopping down off of the horse's back, he hurried forward to collect the scrambling and quacking duck up into his arms. However, even once Fakir lifted her, Ahiru didn't stop her spastic quacking. At the very least, she didn't seem to be half-asleep or out of it this time. She was very awake and alert. And she seemed to be... pointing a wing off the way she had come?

Trying to hold her still as she persisted in flapping about, the ex-knight finally resorted grabbing hold of one of her flailing wings. "Calm down, moron! I can't-! Stop _fidgeting_!"

Finally, with his insistence, she relaxed a bit, her feathered chest still heaving. Fakir brought her over to the saddle and placed her on the leather seat, allowing her to catch her breath for a moment as he crossed his arms, looking her over to make certain that she wasn't harmed. Something had obviously startled or shocked her, but... damn, if only he could understand her better!

It was then that the little yellow bird reached her beak out to snag a hold of his sleeve, blue eyes wide and one wing pointing insistently back the way she had fumbled from. Fakir followed the direction with his eyes, which narrowed slightly. He couldn't see anything out there.

Ahiru wouldn't act like this for no reason, though. And if time was as short as he feared, he had best check it out - whatever she saw or found could be important.

"Alright," he conceded with a short pat to her head when she gave another small quack. "I'll head that way. This better not be a pointless waste of time." With that warning and lecturing look he gave her all too often, Fakir hefted himself back up onto the saddle behind her, taking her up into the crook of one arm and reaching for the discarded reigns with his free hand. Grasping the leather strap tightly, he tugged off to the side again, turning the mare around to face what looked like no more than an expanse of tall grass and trees sloping slightly upward.

Making certain he had an unshakable grip on the little duck, he hit his foot into the horse's side once more and sent her off into a quick gallop, steadily gaining speed. He couldn't imagine what Ahiru wanted to show him. Fakir had never been off in this direction before, but what could have warranted her freaking out like this? And why had she gone this far in the first place?

Questions that a duck couldn't answer for him, unfortunately. Snapping the reigns down once, he urged the horse to go even more swiftly, maneuvering her through the trees and underbrush with ease. Still, he saw nothing that stood out. Everything looked normal and-

"Qua! Quack! QUA-QUACK! _QUA_!" All too suddenly, the bird started going amok from within the crook of his arm and Fakir had to struggle to keep her from dropping right off of the racing horse.

"Stop! STOP, DAMMIT! What's gotten into you!" It was getting incredibly difficult to keep a hold on her and the horse's reigns at the same time. Was she going crazy?

The quacking duck did not relent, though. And it almost seemed like one of her wings was reaching to grab the reigns of his horse. "What-"

Whatever Fakir might have said next was drowned out by the loud and almost frightened whinny of his horse as she tried to stop herself abruptly. The rearing back was too much for Fakir this time. With his already-waning grip on the reigns, he lost hold and tumbled right down off the back of the horse, a squawking duck held protectively in his arm and up against his chest as he crashed down into the ground. Pain shot up his back and shoulders, and it took a good few moments before he could lift himself up far enough to release the duck and glare down at her heatedly.

"You idiot!" he bellowed in anger, reaching a hand up to rub at his sore shoulder. "Are you trying to get us killed?"

The duck didn't look apologetic or anything, though. In fact, as soon as he released her, she stumbled her way up to the horse and past it, up to a little cliff, where she pointed and quacked repeatedly, flailing her free wing around. Far from being in the mood for this nonsense, Fakir lifted himself back up to his feet with a grunt, wincing a little from a sharp sting that ran up his spine. He swore, if she wasn't pointing to dragon or something, he was going to get even more furious than he already was.

However, when Fakir climbed up alongside her, ready to berate the duckling, his mouth suddenly went slack at what he saw before him, eyes wide in disbelief. His gaze drifted left and right and then straight again.

It was clear why the horse had stopped so suddenly now and why Ahiru was throwing such a fit about what she found. It was hard to believe, but the side of the cliff they were standing upon sank right down into a body of water - one that seemed to go on forever. And the land on either side curved around, tapering off into that ceaseless expanse of liquid.

"How..." Fakir couldn't make sense of anything he saw before him yet. Kinkan Town didn't have a huge lake or anything here before, did it? He had never come far enough to check before, but... this was disturbing. Where did the water end? Just how big _was_ this?

Wordlessly, Fakir crouched down and picked Ahiru back up, settling her back securely into his arm and hopping back up upon his horse's saddle. He had to see for himself, he decided. Something about this... it made him think of the dream. It made him think of the changes since the story ended...

No one came to Kinkan from anywhere else. More species of animals didn't show up to inhabit the lake or the forests.

Swallowing down the dryness in his mouth, Fakir set the agitated horse into another swift trot along the water's edge. He was going to find out where this led. It had to be important. Perhaps going to the Oak Tree for answers now would be best, but he wanted to see for himself. He _had_ to.

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><p>The ride lasted for hours. No matter how far the young man went on horseback, he couldn't find the water's end. And to make matters even more confusing, he could swear that he wasn't moving in anything like a straight path, either. It was always curving, further and further. And nothing ever appeared beyond the expanse of water - no land, nothing.<p>

Fakir thought that the little duck would have dozed by now, but she was just as awake as he was. She seemed tense, too. Something was very wrong about this - they could both feel it.

As though in some form of mild comfort, he stroked the feathers on the top of her head. "I think we should head back," he informed stiffly. By now, too much valuable time that could have been spent talking to the Oak Tree was wasted. There was no sign of an end to water or to the curved path the horse trod over.

It didn't seem possible, but... could Kinkan Town have been on an... island?

His gut strangely clenched with that thought. It would explain why no one from the outside came even when the magic barrier faded. Had this been Drosselmeyer's last little trick of the words? Was the town still eternally imprisoned from the outside world even now?

There was too much to think about.

Rearing the horse to face inland, Fakir leaned forward and snapped the reigns to force the horse into a fast gallop once more. He thought he could feel a few of Ahiru's feathers touch his face as she gave a quack, but he paid her no mind for the time being. The Oak Tree was his goal. And figuring this damn mess out.

Disruption of balance...

The end of all things...

Would this body of land collapse and the town sink into the water until it was no more?

Fakir urged his horse to run faster.

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><p>Whether he was being rude and disrupting the town or not by riding a horse straight through it, Fakir didn't give a damn. He ignored every outraged cry and every person scrambling to get out of the large animal's way as he barreled through the streets. A cart of hay was turned on its side on a particularly sharp turn, but the ex-knight didn't even glance back over his shoulder. He kept going and going until he spotted the familiar building - the one where he knew there would be an arrangement of rocks out back. And one rock in particular...<p>

Riding right onto the lawn, he finally slowed his horse once he came to the right area and hopped off of her back, carrying a now-complacent (thankfully) duck with him until he came to the small stone he had communicated with the tree through during the story. Taking a deep breath, he lowered himself down to sit on the ground, letting Ahiru free from his arm. She settled herself beside him, looking to and from him and the rock. "Quack?"

Fakir ran one hand through his wind-blown bangs, casting a rather unsure glance down toward the little duck. "I don't know if this will work, now that the story is over," he admitted softly. "But I have to try..."

He didn't really expect to sprout his own limbs and branches and turn into a tree or anything again, but as he reached for that simple little stone, Fakir felt his heart start to beat faster again. Would the Oak Tree have answers for them? Could it be worse than the bits and pieces in his dream?

Slowly, his eyes fell shut, the wind lightly rustling through his hair and the leaves of nearby trees. The familiar sensation... yes. He could still reach it. Calm and soothing, the voice filled his mind.

_**Young spinner, you seek answers. What has come to pass and what will be. I have not all that you seek.**_

Fakir gave a heavy exhale through his nose.

_Look, I need to know if what I saw in that dream is real or not. Is this place in danger again? Is there another threat? What is it? _

_**The answer is not that simple, young spinner. Reality and story are not so different. Story becomes reality. Reality is story. **_

Ahiru watched as Fakir's fingers tensed around the rock on the ground.

_I don't have time for this, dammit! What do I need to write? _

_**Patience, young one. There is a task ahead of you. There is a role for you to fulfill. You must go to Nowhere.**_

Fakir grit his teeth. Ahiru reached out a tentative feathered-wing to touch his arm, but he didn't even flinch.

_How am I even supposed to make sense of this! Where is "nowhere"? What the hell kind of task and role is this?_

_**Creator. You are a Creator. The ancient ones - we - have long awaited you. Long awaited the rebirth. You have proven yourself. The time is near. Do you accept your role? Do you accept the fate of All Things?**_

_...What? You mean as a story-spinner? Are there more creators? What the hell do I have to do?_

_**Nowhere Islands await you. Find the ancient spirits of your ancestors. Their trees have not yet been felled. Your task. Your role. They know. The end of All Things. The beginning. **_

_The islands... in my dream? Why the hell can't you explain-_

_**Not my place. Not mine, young spinner. I am an outsider. Separated. I was taken here. My roots do not intertwine with the ancients as was Meant To Be. My spirit is grounded where my tree was planted. Where my tree has fallen, I remain.**_

_How the hell do I get to these Nowhere Islands, then? Do I have to write?_

_**Words will help you. Words will fail you. Here to there, you may go. There, you cannot use your words. The time must be right. The time is near. Do you accept your role? Do you accept the fate of All Things?**_

He was getting a goddamn headache again. How the hell was this supposed to make _any_ sense?

_This "role"... am I the only spinner that can do this? _

_**Not your home. This is not your home. This island is not their home. You must go. You must accept the fate of All Things. The end of All Things. The end. The beginning. Seek your ancestors. Accept your role.**_

_But-_

_**Accept your role. **_

_**Your role...**_

The voice echoed off into nothingness until Fakir was certain that the Oak Tree's conscious had left him. Slowly, his eyes blinked open.

Could he... accept another role? Could he really let Fate decide his role for him after he defied it once?

Either way, he had to go. These "Ancients" or whatever they were... they would have the answers. Answers that he now wanted - and needed - more than ever.

Kinkan Town was on an island? This was not their home? What did it all _mean_?

Fakir was drawn from his troubling thoughts when he felt a rather insistent pecking at his hand. Looking down, he found large blue eyes staring back up at him in concern. With a sigh, he reached out to pet her head briefly before lifting her with his hands.

As much as he wanted to keep her here and safe and away from whatever this nonsense was that he was being dragged into, there was no avoiding this. His eyes closed for a moment before they opened and met hers.

"...I made a promise to you. And I'll keep it. We're going to the Nowhere Islands. ...Wherever the hell that is."

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><p>AN: Confused yet? :D I hope so. I don't want everything to be clear right away, after all. What's the fun in that? Hahaha.<p>

Anyway, hope you enjoyed this chapter! There's many fun things to come. And in the next installment, you will finally get to meet more of the cast.

I'd love any and all feedback, even if you want to make guesses as to what's going on or beat my head for being confusing about everything. Hahaha

Thanks a lot for reading! Have yourselves a great day!


	3. Chapter Two: Meet the Locals

AN: Hello, hello! And I'm back with a new chapter! It hasn't been a long wait so far, but this did take me longer since I went to watch a Let's Play of Mother 3 after playing the game myself, to make sure I'm getting character/world details at least as accurate as I can manage. That said, this chapter is pretty long, so I hope you'll find it worth the slight wait!

Summary: The truth isn't always what we expect or what we can easily accept, but a story's birth is a new beginning. Accept your role? Defy it? A choice must be made, for the phoenix has risen, but darkness looms on the horizon. - Princess Tutu/Mother 3 Crossover

Disclaimer: I do not own anything from Princess Tutu or Mother 3. All rights to their wonderful creators. I am merely borrowing them to weave a story.

* * *

><p><strong>The Pillars of Light<strong>

Chapter Two: Meet the Locals

* * *

><p>Crumpled papers and ink stains were littered everywhere around the once-neat desk. Some stray pieces of crushed parchment were even lying on the floor, dots of ink blending with the grains of the wood. And in the middle of it all, holding his head in his hands as he sat in an old chair, was Fakir.<p>

After spending months repressing his powers and trying to push them away from his conscious as much as humanly possible, Fakir was finding it quite difficult to undo the process. He needed to be able to spin a story to get them where they needed to go, but... _could_ he even write things into reality any longer?

There simply wasn't a choice. He would sit here all damn night and all of the following day and however long it took until he figured this out. He had a responsibility - not just to the people of Kinkan Town, but to find out the truth.

He was done with living lies. And not a single person here deserved to be stuck in them, either. If this wasn't where they all came from, he was going to get to the bottom of this.

...If only his damn writing powers would work!

Just how the hell was he supposed to word this perfectly to transport them to a place they had never been? All he had was the name of the place: the Nowhere Islands. That was it. He didn't know what the place looked like or what would be waiting for them there. Without anything to draw from, how was he to manage this?

Frustrated with himself, with his writing, with the Oak Tree, with _everything_, he dropped his duck-feathered quill and stood abruptly, his chair screeching against the wood as it was knocked back. Ahiru gave a startled quack from the vicinity of his bed, but he merely waved his hand once without looking in her direction. "I'm fine."

Tense, irritated, and anxious beyond all measure, but fine. He just needed something... something that was missing.

He had his inspiration - Ahiru was right here with him and she was part of this story. Yet the words had no spark of life to them. No matter how many times he wrote the simple story out in different ways, the power felt dead and dormant.

Had it... really been too long? Could he possibly have suppressed the story-spinning ability out of existence entirely? The Bookmen had said it wasn't possible to actually be rid of it, but...

Staring down as his black-smudged hand, Fakir clenched his fingers inward and then out again. A creator... just what was he to create with words? Did these ancient story-spinners expect him to become like Drosselmeyer?

...No, there had to be more to it than that. He would have to try to be patient until he could get the truth. Worrying about it now wouldn't do him or Ahiru any good.

With a sigh released through his nose, Fakir walked over to the bed and scooped the duckling up, carrying her over to the open window. Placing her on the sill, he leaned against it himself, idly stroking the feathers down her back with one finger. His eyes turned up to gaze a the crescent moon in the sky, gray clouds shifting over the bottom of it.

"I wish you could tell me what it is that you saw in your dreams," he spoke gently, but tinged with anxiousness he felt. "I never realized how much more could be accomplished when two people worked together. Not until you."

Red hair. Blue eyes. Smiles that put the sun to shame. A smaller hand in his. A determination as strong as his own. A shared goal.

_She's the one who changed me._

Ahiru gave a small quack from beside him, reaching a feathered wing to rest on his free hand. He quirked something almost reminiscent of a smile as his gaze fell back down to her blue eyes, dropping the fingers from her back to briefly lay over the feathered wing on his other hand.

...Change. Come to think of it... a few years had passed since the end of the story, but Ahiru remained as small and as yellow of a duckling as always. It was just another one of those things he had turned a blind eye to. She never grew physically as a duck.

Fakir's brows furrowed as he turned his head back to stare up at the moon. There were many things that didn't have answers, many mysteries left unsolved, and they just kept piling up.

This role... if he took it, what would happen? Would his fight against fate before have been for nothing? And what if he couldn't even accomplish what it was that they needed from a "creator"?

The Oak Tree had pressed it repeatedly, though: _Accept your role_. Could that... have anything to do with why his writing was failing now? Was it because he was wavering and unsure?

Accept... his role. If he did, in writing, would that be the key to making his story move?

It was worth a shot, anyway. He had run out of ideas and he had been at this ridiculous task all afternoon and evening already. With one last stroke to Ahiru's feathers, he picked the duck up from the window and brought her back to the bed, where she had been nestled earlier. Then, with one last glance at her, he returned to his desk and the mess still strewn about the top and the floor, pulled his chair out, and took his quill in hand.

Taking a deep breath, he pressed the end of the pen to the page and began to write.

**Once upon a time, there was a man and a duck who defied Fate and fought their way out of a story-spinner's control. The town was saved, the prince and princess flew off to have their happily ever after and years passed... but not all was well. **

**Fate wasn't finished with the man who cast away his sword or the duck who gave everything to see the prince smile. What Fate had in store, neither of them could say, but once more, things were being set into motion beyond their control. Now, the man had to take Ahiru and travel to a place he had never heard of before called the Nowhere Islands, to accept a new role.**

**He was not prepared, but the role of creator... he would accept. It was his duty to the town of Kinkan to continue their story - to protect them with his own power.**

Fakir paused, feeling a familiar warmth envelop him - much stronger than he was used to. In fact, he didn't think it was stemming from him at all. It was coming up from the... floor?

There was a startled quack from behind him that broke him from his stunned state with the force of solid brick to the head. Turning and rising so quickly that he nearly stumbled out of his chair, he made his way over to the bed, and gathered the duck into his arms. He knew it was time. Something was happening - and he could tell that Ahiru felt it, too.

"Ahiru, are you-"

His own voice was abruptly cut off as another filled his senses - even seemed to fill the entire _room_.

_**Thank you, young Creator. Remember your role. With the last of my power, I will send you on your way. Seek the truth. Seek your ancestors. Rebirth... in your hands is the Fate of All Things...**_

It was the voice was the Oak Tree. However, before Fakir could form another word on his lips, the ground beneath his feet began to shake, light beams shooting up from the wood flooring and circling him and the bird held securely in his arms.

White consumed his senses in a matter of seconds, flooding out everything with an intensity so bright that he had to shut his eyes. Instinctively, he clung tight to the duck in his arms, determined not to let go of her no matter what.

The sensation that followed was... strange. For a brief moment, he felt like he might explode, but then the constricting feeling was gone and what replaced it was... what felt almost like floating or flying. There were colors flashing by his closed eyelids, but they were all too meshed and mixed for him to make any sense of it. He could still feel feathers beneath his fingers, though, and that was what mattered to him the most.

Ahiru was with him. And he would protect her with everything he was.

* * *

><p>"Woof! Ruff! Woof woof woof! Owwwooooo!"<p>

Fakir's brows furrowed at the noise that echoed loudly through his eardrums. Who the hell let a dog loose and-

Wait. Where the hell _was_ he? Didn't he and Ahiru just...?

Blinking his eyes open, Fakir took a deep breath as they adjusted to the light, sitting himself up quickly and searching for the familiar yellow-feathered duck as soon as he could see clearly enough to differentiate colors. "Ahiru? Ahiru where are-_eugh_."

Fakir recoiled instantly when he turned and found a sheep's tail near his face, looking around with an incredulous expression on his face. He was sitting on a partially broken fence and surrounded by _sheep_, of all things?

More shocking (and worrying) than that, however, was the fact that he couldn't see even spot a sign of the little duck anywhere. Panic rising in his gut, he moved to lift himself up to his feet-only to get abruptly bowled over by a large brown mass.

"Ruff! Aroooo woof!"

And that brown hairy thing proceeded to enthusiastically started licking at his face, to his immediate displeasure. "Get off, you-! I have to find- Go _home_, you stupid-!"

Finally, the dog backed off and Fakir brushed himself off, glaring at the animal and motioning away with his hands. "Go on! Shoo!"

And could swear, in the moment that followed, he saw the dog _roll its eyes_.

"Boney! Settle down, will ya?" Fakir frowned at the unfamiliar voice, but the dog answered it with a happy bark, tail wagging as it ran off in the direction the voice had come from. And a moment later, a man appeared with the dog trotting at his side. He was tall, kind of rugged-looking, with a bit of facial hair and sideburns, and most noticeably, a large brown cowboy hat perched down on his head and overshadowing his eyes.

However, Fakir did a double-take when he noted something tripping along _behind_ the unknown man. His eyes widened in surprise as relief filtered through him. "Ahiru!"

"Quack!" The duck's large blue eyes lit up when she saw him, the large feather bobbing on the top of her head as she wobbled her way past the stranger and the dog.

"Smart bird you've got there," the man remarked with a tip of his hat as Ahiru ambled toward Fakir in a flurry of quacks. "Came to the door quackin' away a storm and led me right over here."

All attention on the small, feathered duck, Fakir picked her up once she reached him and pulled her protectively into the crook of his arm. Stupid idiot... thank goodness she wasn't hurt. Now, however, there were other pressing matters at hand. Giving a reassuring pat to Ahiru, he turned his gaze back to the man, his lips thinning out into his perpetual frowning.

"Where am I?" Fakir demanded in a rather rude tone, glowering green eyes settled on the stranger. "Is this the Nowhere Islands?"

The man's eyebrows rose up and disappeared into his large hat briefly before they lowered again. "You're in Tazmily, on the Nowhere Islands, yeah. ...And sittin' in my sheep pen."

Coloring slightly, Fakir immediately got to his feet and rubbed at the back of his neck awkwardly. He should probably at least apologize for destroying the fence, but it's not like he damn well _meant_ to. Strange as it was, he couldn't even remember falling or impacting anything, though the damage was apparent. And he sure as hell did not have money on him to pay for repairs.

Despite feeling the man's gaze on him, Fakir kept his eyes locked on a point in the distance, crossing his arms over his chest. He could feel Ahiru making some kind of movement in his arms, but he ignored her as well.

"...You're not from around here, I take it." The gruff words from the older man almost made it sound like he wasn't particularly used to making conversation, either.

"No," Fakir replied shortly and curtly. The air felt oddly heavy. And a silence followed afterward that hung awkwardly over them until running footsteps could suddenly be heard fast approaching. The ex-knight looked up again, just as a blond boy (probably mid-teens, from the looks of him) bounded up to the man and the dog.

"Hey, dad! Did you find out what that crash in the yard was just-" Spotting Fakir, the teen cut off in mid-sentence and blinked at him and the duck carried in his arms. Noting that Fakir's expression was less than friendly, he shifted uneasily. "Oh. U-um... hi." He turned back to man at his side. "Someone you know, dad?"

"...No," the man answered after a moment, still studying Fakir out of the corner of his eye. "Looks like he feel into the sheep pen."

Fakir looked between the both of them, his eyes wary and filled with distrust. There was no way he was going to stand here and try to explain a situation that _he_ didn't even understand - especially not to strangers.

The cowboy-like man reached up to adjust his hat again. "My name's Flint." Then, he reached out to pat the blond and blue-eyed boy on the shoulder. "And this one here is my son, Lucas."

"Ruff!"

"Oh, and Boney, of course. Sorry, boy." Then, raising an eyebrow at Fakir, Flint went on to ask, "Who might you be?"

Fakir hesitated as he looked back and forth between father and son. He didn't really have the time to be standing around here giving awkward introductions and things. What he needed to do was find those damn "Ancients" and figure out what the hell he was expected to do in his role of creator.

"Never mind that," Fakir spoke at last, shaking his head. "Sorry about your fence, but I'm in a hurry."

"Quack!" Ahiru protested from his arm, in a manner that he had come to recognize as her being discontent or irritated with him. However, Fakir chose to turn a deaf ear to her. He was not going to ask anyone for help and and he was damn well going to get this over with.

It was the Oak Tree's fault for not telling him more or giving him clearer directions. And if there wasn't much time to be had, he couldn't squander it here in this Tazmily place or whatever it was called. So despite the indignant quacking from his arm and the incredulous stares from the three - yes, _three_ - even that damned dog was looking at him like that - in front of him, Fakir turned and hopped down the small cliff, walking off with quick steps down into the village.

What he needed to do was find the nearest forest or something. That would be a perfect place to find one of these ancient trees that he needed to speak with.

* * *

><p>As the dark-haired young man and the quacking duck hurried off, Flint once again reached up to tip his hat back and forth before he set his brown eyes down on Lucas. The boy's brows were drawn in slightly, as though in worry.<p>

"...You think he means trouble?"

Lucas seemed to ponder that for a moment, before his brows uncreased. "I... don't know. We noticed just a few days ago that things were getting weird, right? Everything's been fine for three years and now... The animals aren't chimeras anymore, but they're unsettled by something. I got attacked by a wild boar on my way to see Lighter and Fuel the other day."

Flint gave a stiff nod of agreement, still looking off in the direction that the stranger disappeared into. "Something isn't right. That's all I can tell."

A small silence settled in as the wind picked up, rustling Flint's hat and Lucas's hair. Boney gave a shallow whimper from below them. "D-Do you think..." Lucas started to speak, but stopped, closing his eyes briefly before opening them again. He didn't seem to be able to continue.

Lightly, his father placed a hand on his shoulder. "I don't think we should start worrying too much yet."

"But the dragon..."

"...Yeah. I've seen him, too. But he's not attacking anything. Let's not be hasty."

"I just..." The teen paused to take a steadying breath before he continued. "I don't want anything like... _that_ to happen again. I don't think I'm s-strong enough to..."

As he trailed off, Flint looked up to the sky before sighing deeply, moving his hand up to ruffled the boy's hair. "Remember, Lucas. You're not alone. The needles are pulled and you passed your heart the dragon, but upholding this reborn world isn't your responsibility; It's _all_ of ours."

Lucas nodded faintly, reaching down to pet Boney as the dog licked at the fingers of his hand hanging at his side. "I think... I'm going to at least follow that guy. To see what he's doing. I don't want to see the forest go up in flames again or-"

"Lucas." His father's voice was stern, but not unkind. The elder man took another slow breath before continuing. "Let's go say hello to your mother and Claus, first" he suggested. A faint smile came to Lucas's lips. "Maybe they'll give us a bit of guidance."

"...Yeah, you're right."

"Woof woof!"

* * *

><p>Fakir quickly decided that he did not like Tazmily. People were obnoxiously friendly around every turn. They didn't even seem to care that he was a complete stranger! And all he wanted to do was get out of here, dammit!<p>

His scowl still in place and duck in arm, Fakir made his way past a building called the "Yado Inn" and headed through the tall archway between it and another building. Unfortunately, he found a brunette woman just beyond it, all but up in his face and waving a-

"Would you like a nut cookie, dear? I just baked a whole batch! Fresh out of the woodstove!"

"_No_, I-"

"Hey, I have some extra cookies, too! They're slightly unclean, but still good!"

"Mike, you haven't made any cookies for years!"

"Aw, I was just kidding, Caroline. Everyone knows yours are much better, anyway."

"I don't _want _any damn-!"

Pushing his way through the villagers, Fakir stalked on ahead, feeling more and more aggravated with every step. Who the hell walked up to someone they never met and shoved _cookies_ into their face? This place was full of nutters - which would explain the 'nut' cookies, he supposed with an inward snort.

Coming to a clearing just beyond the village - _finally_, he was out of that place - Fakir noted that off to the west, there appeared to be a large, tree-cluttered area. Hope surged in his chest. And again, there was that strange warmth he felt with it. What_ was _that?

Well, the important thing was that he finally found a lead to something that might be useful. And he didn't have to ask a single person for directions or tell them anything about his situation.

...Hmph. Of course he could do it on his own.

And Fakir had been about to walk off toward the woodland area just then, but paused, his eyes drawn to something in the distance. There was... some kind of drawbridge pulled up? And a little further than that, what looked like an old castle. His brows furrowed as he stared at the distant stone structure.

Why could he swear that something about that building seemed the smallest bit... familiar? He didn't think that he actually recognized it. And he had never been to this "Nowhere Islands" place before, either. Perhaps he had seen it in a book?

There was a soft quack from down in his arms and Fakir snapped out of his silent contemplation, turning his eyes down to the duck nestled into his arm. She, too, was looking at the old castle. Unlike Fakir, though, she didn't seem content with just looking. Pulling a wing free, she pointed toward it.

"Quack! Qua-quack quack!"

"What?" He blinked, and then frowned. "No, idiot. There's no time for that. We have to go find those trees or whatever they are."

"Quack!"

"I said _no_, dammit! Just-" Cutting off on an irritated sigh, Fakir turned sharply to head in his intended direction, ignoring the duck's quacked pleas. This wasn't a joy trip or some kind of sight-seeing tour. The Oak Tree said that the "time" was near and had pressed that he needed to come here and take up a role. Strange castles were not on the list of priorities.

Ahiru wasn't content with his decision, though, and continued to make a squawking spectacle of herself from where she was settled into his arms. fluttering her feathered wings around. "Quack! Quack-qua-_qua_!"

It was hard to keep an eye on where he was going when she was being such a nuisance, but Fakir kept walking quickly and determinedly, even as his attention was on the flailing and agitated bird. "Idiot! This isn't the time for-"

His speech was abruptly cut off on a loud grunt as something - or rather, some_one_ - crashed right straight into him, a thud heard just before another unfamiliar voice reached his ears.

"Ow! _Hey_! Watch where you're going!"

Though Fakir stumbled backward after the sudden collision, he managed not to fall. The same could not be said for the person he had literally run right into, though. And he barely cast the strange young woman on the ground in front of him a glance as looked down to make sure that Ahiru was all right. Which she was, thankfully, but he could tell that she was concerned for the stranger. Fakir, however, was not in the mood to deal with any more people.

"I'm in a hurry," he told the woman with bright, short and untidy pink hair coldly, ignoring the angry quack from Ahiru at his words. "So stay out of my way."

And with that, he was off again, as if nothing happened.

Or rather, he _would _have been, if it weren't for the fact that he felt a sharp yank on the back of his ponytail, forcing him backward with a tight grimace. "What the-!"

"Who the hell taught you manners?" Another tight jerk to his hair, even rougher than the first. "You're the one who knocked _me_ over, you ass!"

"Let _go_, dammit!" Fakir growled, viciously pulling his hair free with one hand while keeping Ahiru secured with the other. Once his dark ponytail was freed from the woman's grip, he turned around to face her, gritting his teeth from the pain in his skull. "What the hell is your problem?"

The woman, who was now obviously standing, regarded him with distaste, crossing her arms and glaring right back at him with vibrant green eyes. "You just knock a person clean down to the ground and don't even _apologize_? And then you even go on to say 'stay out of my way'? As if it was _my_ fault? I don't stand for that kind of behavior! Show some respect!"

Fakir's impatience was rapidly climbing off of the scales. Who was this boy-ish looking girl with a bad attitude? And why did he have to have rotten enough luck to keep running into these crazies?

"It's none of your damn business!" He replied heatedly, tucking his second arm down around Ahiru again, almost protectively.

"You're lucky I didn't see you knock someone else down like that or I'd knock your block off!" And she shoved her gloved fist almost right into his face, as if to threaten doing just that.

"Quack! Qua-quack!"

This seemed to catch the attention of both Fakir and the odd woman, who looked down toward the little duck. And just like that, the woman's deep scowl lifted up into a smile.

"Oh! Hello there! You didn't get hurt, did ya?"

Ahiru shook her head. "Quack!"

"Does this nasty man say nasty things and mistreat you too? I bet he does. You poor thing."

As she reached out to pat Ahiru, though, Fakir roughly yanked his arms back, his expression twisting fiercely. "Don't you _dare_ try to touch her."

Raising her eyebrows, the woman blinked at the odd display. Then, she shrugged her shoulders casually. "Okay, fine. I'll just do this my way."

Fakir stiffened, preparing to fight to guard Ahiru if he had to. Yet the woman made no move to attack or try to grab the duck away. Instead, all she seemed to be doing was looking at her.

Blue eyes to bright green. For just a moment, it felt like something in the air had changed, but there was nothing but silence.

Then, the woman straightened up. Quirking an eyebrow in confusion, her eyes trailed back up to Fakir's. "...That's not a duck."

Whatever Fakir had been expecting to happen, it was definitely not for a declaration like _that_. And he tried to ignore the surge of slight panic in his gut. It's not like anyone knew about Ahiru. And her true form was a duck! This woman was clearly just as insane as the rest of those village folk - perhaps even more-so.

"Of course she's a duck," Fakir spat, hiding Ahiru away from the strange woman and ignoring her feeble and confused quack from the fabric of his sleeve.

The woman only continued to stare, however, a strange and unreadable expression on her face. Unnerved by it, Fakir quickly turned around and picked up his pace again, grumbling under his breath about how strangers couldn't mind their own business and had to make things difficult.

He never once looked back after that. Fakir could care less if she was still standing there stupidly or what was wrong with those villagers or about the man called Flint and his son and their slobbering dog. He had a purpose and a goal - nothing was going to hold him back from that.

* * *

><p>Lucas slowly made his way down the hillside up along the graveyard a short distance from Osohe castle, hands in his pockets and expression thoughtful. He still wasn't sure what to think about that strange young man's sudden appearance. And he didn't actually know where that guy went, either, which left him at a bit of a loss. How was he to follow him if he didn't know where he was going?<p>

"Hey, Lucas! Hey!"

Hearing a voice, he looked up, eyes broadening slightly as a woman in a simple blue, coat-like dress hurried forward with a hand waving and a welcoming smile. Lucas couldn't help but smile right back at the sight of her familiar pink hair and her grin, returning with a wave of his own. "Kumatora!"

Coming right up to him, she finally slowed to a stop, idly kicking a rock out of the way with one of her boots. "Since you weren't at home, I thought you might be up this way. I think we need to talk."

Lucas's smile faded slightly at that, his eyes glancing off into the distance. "Y-Yeah... you can feel it too, huh?"

"I just came over from Sunshine forest," she told him, hooking a thumb off behind her. "I went to check on the animals and see if I could figure out what had them getting all rowdy and aggressive all of a sudden."

His eyebrows raised, a hopeful look on his face. "Did you find out anything?"

She was quiet for a moment, as if trying to decide just how to word her reply. "It's... like they're all full of sadness and hate and I can't make sense of _why_," she spoke, her voice low, but tinged with frustration. Heaving a sigh, she turned her eyes up to meet Lucas's. "I'm worried... they haven't felt this way before. Everything's been peaceful for years until now."

"...I'm worried too," he agreed softly. "My dad's saying not to jump to conclusions, but I don't like what's happening. I want to stop it before... before..."

She reached out to pat him on the head. "I know. Don't worry. We'll get to the bottom of this before anything gets out of hand."

With a bit of a pout, he batted her hand away from the large, curled cowlick on top of his head. "Aw, c'mon, don't do that! I'm not a kid anymore!"

Kumatora grinned, unable to resist giving him a little noogie to top it off. "You'll always be wittle Wucas," she teased.

"Stop iiiiiiiiiiiiit!" he whined loudly. And when she finally removed her hand, he shot her an unamused look before he sighed. "There's something else I think I should mention, too. Another strange thing."

"Oh?" She piqued one eyebrow. "What's this strange thing, then?"

"There was a crash early this afternoon. And there was a duck that suddenly came quacking at our door and... it led us over to the sheep pen, where-"

"Wait," Kumatora interrupted, resisting the urge to roll her eyes. "Let me guess. You found a guy and he was tall, dark-haired, rude, and had a permanent scowl on his face."

Lucas looked at her as though she had just read his mind. "Yeah, that's him! He was in the sheep pen and sitting on the busted the fence. Looked like he fell or something. Did you see him in town?"

She shook her head. "Nope. Just saw him a couple minutes ago, heading out to the Sunshine forest. He claimed to be in a hurry and told me I better stay out of his way."

That made Lucas's blue eyes glimmer with amusement. "Did you punch him?"

Pounding a fist into her open hand, she growled. "I _wanted_ to! What an asshole! If I see him again, I might just punch his lights out for the hell of it anyway."

Unable to hold in his mirth, Lucas laughed. "Well, he should know better than to mess with you."

"Right?" She grinned, but then it faded as quickly as it formed. "I'm wondering about that duck that he had with him, though."

"Huh? What about it?"

"I thought I would communicate with it through mind-reading, y'know, just to see if that guy was abusing it like poor Salsa was abused and held captive by that damn Fassad. But..."

Lucas was silent, but his eyes urged her to continue.

"...I couldn't communicate with it," she said at last. "That duck... is no duck. And not any kind of animal if my psychic powers can't reach it."

They exchanged a wary look, both of their expressions grim. It went without saying that everything about that man and his "duck" was suspicious. And given the changes that coincided with their sudden arrival, possibly dangerous, as well.

* * *

><p>Continuing his way in towards the forest, Fakir passed by another odd stone building, barely giving it a once-over as he stomped his way forward. He could see trees now, but none of them really seemed to stand out or call to him or anything.<p>

Just how was he supposed to find the _right_ ones?

Experimentally, Fakir approached a rather large and old-looking tree, and placed his palm up against the bark. Slowly, he let his eyes drift shut as he tried to reach his consciousness out to the tree. However, after a good three minutes of standing there and concentrating, his eyes snapped back open.

_Nothing_. Not even a glimmer of a voice or a whisper that would tell him a thing made itself known. Already far beyond annoyed and tense, Fakir slumped down beside the tree with a heavy exhale.

What had he gotten himself and Ahiru into?

"Quaaaack." A feathered wing pressed against his chest. Sighing, Fakir reached down run his fingers along her back.

"We'll figure something out, moron. Don't worry about me, alright?"

She gave another short quack, but relented with her wing, tucking it back down against her side. Moving her head up against his shirt, she nuzzled him, which almost brought the tiniest of smiles to his face.

Just then, something nearby gave a snap, like a twig breaking in half, and Fakir was immediately alert, his hand pressing against Ahiru's feathers. Had that crazy woman decided to follow him?

"Who's there?" he demanded. And when he was met with silence, Fakir got up to his feet, searching the forest floor an the bushes. He hadn't thought of what might be out here. And damn it all, he didn't have his sword - it was back in his cabin in _Kinkan_.

"Quack!" Ahiru suddenly exclaimed, just as Fakir caught sight of something coming out from the bushes - or rather, _slithering_ out from them. The snake made its presence known with a his, rearing back and eying the man and duck as its tongue darted out threateningly.

Crouching down, his eyes never leaving the snake, Fakir groped the ground until he found what seemed to be a broken tree branch and clasped his fingers around it. Simultaneously, he let Ahiru down, pushing her off behind him. "Get back!" he urged her, watching the snake as it moved its head two and fro, mouth opening as it hissed again, louder. Fakir stood his ground in front of the duck, straightening and brandishing the broken limb with as much ferocity as he could. "I'll protect you."

And it seemed that those words were the snake's cue. It darted right forward and Fakir brought the leaf-covered end of the limb down with a loud cry, aiming right for the slithering green creature. However, when he pulled the branch back up, there was no snake, and his heart leapt into his throat.

"QUAAAAAACK!"

"AHIRU!" Hearing that distressed cry nearly made his heart stop, but Fakir turned around as swiftly as he could, rearing back the limb and ready to beat the life out of that damn thing if he had to-!

He almost dropped the branch when he saw the snake's mouth clamped just below the little duck's neck, but the burst of adrenaline and fury only made him roar out as he lashed the limb right down on the snake's body with every ounce of force he could muster. There was a startled and pained hiss that followed after, and movement through the ground as the reptile made a quick getaway.

Fakir tossed the broken branch aside and fell to his knees, hands shaking as he reached for yellow-feathered bird and took her into his trembling hands. She was shallowly breathing, which he was more than grateful for, but...

"Ahiru, Ahiru... I'm so sorry. I failed you, I..."

He trailed off, looking at the area she was bitten and gently pushing the feathers out of the way. Fakir had never seen a mark like it before. The skin beneath her feathers... it seemed like it had a purplish-hue. And it was... it was _spreading_.

What... had that snake just done to her? How could he fix it? How could he save her?

Biting back a sob, Fakir clutched her to his chest, holding his shirt to the wound in hopes that it would somehow do something to help the strange purple blemish from spreading further or worsening.

"Ahiru, just hold on, just..."

...He shouldn't have brought her here. This happened because he was foolish, because he put his promise above her safety! He was a goddamn idiot and...

And now, he felt helpless to do anything for the one that mattered most to him.

* * *

><p>AN: First cliff-hanger! DUN DUN DUNNNN!<p>

So, the Mother 3 world and some of its characters have been introduced. For those of you that know of game, I hope you find the portrayals of the characters and the world to be accurate enough! I had a lot of fun with them.

As always, feel free to review (I really appreciate the feedback and I hope this continues to be entertaining enough to readers) and send me any questions or comments you may have and I'll do my best to answer them for you!

Thanks a lot for reading!


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